ULTRASONIC THREE-DIMENSIONAL MEASUREMENT APPARATUS
To provide a system for implementing a three-dimensional measurement apparatus based on ultrasonic signals that have high applicability and high resolution with a simple configuration. The present invention provides a high-resolution apparatus with high applicability with a simple configuration by using low-resolution, wide field-of-view display and high-resolution region-limited display in parallel in a configuration that separates a one-dimensional direction by frequency.
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The present invention relates to an image acquisition apparatus, and to a three-dimensional imaging apparatus that transmits acoustic signals in water such as a sea and acquires a three-dimensional image of a wide space via reflected waves from a target object irrespective of the turbidity and/or illuminance of the water.
BACKGROUND ARTFor implementation of three-dimensional imaging, it is basically necessary to position electrodes two-dimensionally in a matrix, and for implementation of a high-resolution apparatus, a large number (around 10,000) electrodes are required, which is extremely difficult to put into practical use.
The present inventors thus have developed a three-dimensional imaging system having a transmitter of a one-dimensional array that emits ultrasonic waves in directions that are different per frequency and a one-dimensionally segmented receiver in a direction orthogonal to the transmitter arrangement direction.
Various systems for achieving three-dimensional imaging by emitting ultrasonic waves in different directions per frequency are known.
A known example by a method that emits ultrasonic waves in different directions per frequency by scanning emission is shown in
A transmitter 8 in
The transmitter 8 in accordance with this known technique has a pair of a ground electrode 22 and a signal electrode 23 as common electrodes formed on the opposite surfaces of a piezoelectric element 20 in which a polarization axis direction 21 is formed so as to alternately invert, as shown in
When a driving signal 25 is applied between the common electrodes 22, 23, an ultrasonic wave front 26 is radiated in a varying direction within a propagation medium 9 depending on the frequency of the signal and a target region 10 is scanned in the x-axis direction.
As the transmitter 8 has a rod-like shape, the ultrasonic wave front 26 forms a fan ultrasound beam 13 being narrow in the x-axis direction and wide in the z-axis direction, as shown in
In the present example, the direction in which the ultrasonic wave front 26 propagates is regarded as an ultrasonic wave front radiation direction 24. Hereinbelow, the angle of inclination of the ultrasonic wave front 26 relative to the x-axis (the arrangement direction of the transmitter 8) is represented as 0 and the angle of inclination relative to the z-axis (assumed to be the vertical direction) is represented as w.
The principle of operation of the transmitter 8 is illustrated in
In
Meanwhile, a reflected sound wave 14 from a target object 15 is imaged on a received wave detection surface 12 of a one-dimensional arrangement, which has electrodes segmented in the z-axis direction (the vertical direction) as shown in
In the configuration of
The horizontal position of the target object 15 is known from a signal frequency component strength 19 in an element output signal 18 as shown in
Also, the distance to the target object 15 is known from the sound wave propagation time, so that three-dimensional information for the target object 15 can be obtained.
Here, it is possible to produce shortened pulses by means of aperture segmentation as shown by Patent Literature 3 in a configuration based on such a transmitter; however, the transmitted pulse length would be basically long due to the principle of operation in
Thus, the present invention provides a three-dimensional imaging system with high distance resolution that employs a receiver in one-dimensional arrangement and an orthogonally arranged configuration that separates a one-dimensional direction by frequency.
CITATION LIST Patent Literature
- Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 52-47697
- Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 47-26160
- Patent Literature 3: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-71967
- Non Patent Literature 1: Marine Acoustics Society of Japan, “Fundamental and Application of Marine Acoustics”, Seizando, 2004
The present invention provides a three-dimensional imaging system having high distance resolution.
Solution to ProblemThe present invention provides a three-dimensional imaging system that provides high distance resolution with a one-dimensionally arranged transmitter and a one-dimensionally arranged receiver by performing transmission in short pulses in a configuration that separates a one-dimensional direction by frequency.
Advantageous Effects of InventionThe present invention improves the distance resolution and enables an increased resolution of an ultrasonic imaging apparatus for three-dimensional imaging.
Various configurations that enable an increased resolution are described in detail below with reference to embodiments.
(Embodiment 1) Delayed Control Driving of a One-Dimensional Transmission Arrangement (Frequency Positioning and High Frequency in Front-Direction)An overall configuration of this embodiment is shown in
Operations of a transmission directivity synthesis process for forming θ-direction resolution, which represents the transmitter resolution, of this embodiment are shown below.
A transmitter 108 according to the present invention shown in
Since the transmitter 108 has a shape being wide in the x-direction and narrow in the z-direction, it forms an emitted wave front 46 of a reverse shape, i.e., wide in the z-direction and narrow in the x-direction.
The x-direction width of the emitted wave front 46 with the transmitter 108 represents the transmitter resolution, and a transmitter limit resolution, which is the highest resolution that can be achieved by the apparatus configuration, is determined by the diffraction limit angle ΩDT of a sound wave, given by the transmitter aperture WT, sound wave wavelength λS, and the azimuth of emission θ, where ΩDT=λS/(WT cos θ).
With the basic configuration of
Thus, with the configuration of
Here, since a driving electronic circuit of the transmitter has a voltage limit, efficient use and configuration of the electronic circuits is achieved by making settings such that the respective waveforms do not temporally overlap as shown in
When transmission is performed in such a manner, wave fronts having multiple frequencies fL, fM, and fH are transmitted in the different directions corresponding to the respective time differences, and by decomposing a received signal acquired by a receiving element 156, one of the elements of the receiver 138, into individual frequency components through a filter 201, measurement results for multiple directions can be obtained via a single transmission and reception.
When wave fronts having multiple frequencies fL, fM, and fH are thus transmitted in different directions, the intensity of unwanted radiation emitted in an azimuth other than the target azimuth increases as the frequency is higher or the deflection angle is larger. Accordingly, it is effective to have a configuration that radiates a high-frequency signal in the front direction and radiates low-frequency signals in marginal directions as shown in
By thus transmitting wave fronts having multiple frequencies in different directions respectively and decomposing a received signal from a reflector obtained at a receiving terminal 44 of the receiving element 156, one of the elements of the receiver 138, into individual frequency components through the filter 201, measurement results for multiple directions can be obtained via a single transmission and reception, and the θ-direction position at which each reflector is present is known from the selected frequency of the filter.
In a case where wave fronts having multiple frequencies fL, fM, and fH are transmitted in different directions as shown above, the time required for a single transmission and reception is TF1 as shown in
Next, a second embodiment with waveform pack driving is described.
(Embodiment 2) Waveform Pack Driving (One Direction First and Shortening of Dead Time Period)To ensure the full field of view in the configuration of
In such a transmission directivity synthesis process, when making settings so as to provide an order that makes the azimuth of the outgoing wave fronts change monotonically as shown in
Next, a third embodiment with multiple interleaved transmission is described.
(Embodiment 3) Multiple Interleaved Transmission (Increased Resolution)In the transmission directivity synthesis process of
Thus, assuming that the frequency band of the transmitter is W in
Accordingly, when sound waves are radiated in respectively different directions at a multiple number of transmissions in the transmission directivity synthesis process as shown in
Thus, by radiating sound waves respectively in different directions at a multiple number of transmissions, independent transmissions and receptions of sound waves in many directions are achieved with the limited frequency band of the transmitter while maintaining sufficient distance resolution.
Although
As described above, in the configuration that completes one screen via K rounds of transmission and reception, the imaging time required for completion of one screen is long, and the imaging time is the time TFK required for K rounds of transmission and reception shown in
Next, a fourth embodiment with concavity convergence is described.
(Embodiment 4) Concavity ConvergenceA configuration that prevents reduction in resolution for a short distance is shown in
This configuration can make the outgoing wave fronts converge to a selected distance by giving a concave delay via a delay circuit VD as shown in
Next, a fifth embodiment with reception directivity synthesis in the reception arrangement direction is described.
(Embodiment 5) Reception Directivity Synthesis in the Reception Arrangement DirectionA reception directivity synthesis process in ψ-direction (the reception arrangement direction), which represents the receiver resolution, of this embodiment is described with reference to the overall configuration of
The time of incidence to the receiver 138 in
Thus, for performing a same phase addition, a directivity synthesis process relating to the z-axis direction is required for V signals from the receiver 138.
This reception directivity synthesis process, detailed in Non Patent Literature 1, can be carried out by, for example, selecting a delay time terminal 50 of a delay circuit 49 in a reception directivity synthesis unit 37 in accordance with the inclination angle ψ1 of an upper-received wave front 47 so as to compensate for the time difference or phase difference between signals in received signals 51 and adding the compensated signals.
The z-direction width of received wave fronts 47 and 48 with the receiver 138 represents the receiver resolution, and the receiver limit resolution, or the highest resolution that can be achieved by the apparatus configuration, is determined by the diffraction limit angle ΩDR of a sound wave, given by the receiver aperture WR, the sound wave wavelength λS, and the azimuth of reception ψ, where ΩDR=λS/(WR cos ψ).
Here, by setting the selected position of the delay time terminal 50 as a concave, converged reception targeted for a specific distance becomes possible as well.
With this same phase addition process, the upper-received wave front 47, inclined by angle ψ1, is output as an upper-received output 52, and the front-direction received wave front 48 is output as a front-received output 53 independently.
Hence, the position associated with ψ-direction is known from P received output positions in the reception directivity synthesis unit 37.
Next, the basic operation for a three-dimensional space measurement target is described.
The respective received outputs of the reception directivity synthesis unit 37 corresponding to the ψ-direction position of a reflector described above are applied to a filter set 109 shown in
The filter set 109 consists of multiple filters 201, and frequency components f1 through fU are separately output at the terminals of the respective filters 201.
Here, since the θ-direction position at which a reflector is present corresponds to the frequency of a reflected signal therefrom, the θ-direction position of the reflector is known from the terminals of the respective filters 201 which output the respective frequency components separately.
Hence, an upper-received signal and a front-received signal are obtained as an upper-received filtered output 202 and a front-received filtered output 203, and from these output terminal positions, the θ-direction and ψ-direction positions at which the reflector is present can be known.
Also, since a distance r to the target object 15 is known from the round-trip time of an ultrasonic wave, the shape of a measurement target in a three-dimensional space is fully determined from these three pieces of information, thus achieving three-dimensional imaging.
Assuming that the above process needs to be performed for all of the terminals of the filter set 109 and the largest field of view in the θ-direction determined by the transmitter structure is represented by E and the highest resolution is represented by ε, the required number of terminals of the filter set 109 is U=E/ε. Assuming that the largest field of view in the ψ-direction determined by the receiver structure is represented by H and the highest resolution is represented by η, the required number of output terminals of the reception directivity synthesis unit 37 is P=H/η.
Here, where the sound wave wavelength is λ, the largest field of view E in θ-direction determined by the transmitter structure is approximately λ/WT and the highest resolution E in θ-direction is λ/WT.
Likewise, the largest field of view H in ψ-direction determined by the receiver structure is approximately λ/WR0, and the highest resolution η in ψ-direction is λ/WR0.
Meanwhile, when the field of view in the distance direction is represented by R and the resolution is represented by ρ, the number of observation points in the distance direction is L=R/ρ. For measuring information on all the observation points in a three-dimensional space through the present basic operation, a U×P×R number of directivity synthesis processes are to be performed as shown in
Although the reception directivity synthesis process by the reception directivity synthesis unit 37 and the filter set 109 may be performed with analog processing utilizing delay lines or the like, a configuration is also possible that digitizes received signals and carries out the reception directivity synthesis process entirely via numerical operations.
The sound wave propagation time with this basic operation is TFK and it is impossible to reduce the imaging time below it; this TFK gives the imaging limit time.
Here, if the performance of a processing apparatus is not sufficient in the case of performing a U×P×R number of directivity synthesis processes, a processing time TP for directivity synthesis would exceed the imaging limit time TFK required for K rounds of transmission and reception shown in
The above description was given for an order where the respective received outputs of the reception directivity synthesis unit 37 are applied to the filter set 109. However, since these processes are linear processing and thus do not depend on the order of processing, a configuration is also possible in which filtering is performed first and then reception directivity synthesis is done on the result of filtering.
Next, methods of displaying information acquired by the three-dimensional imaging apparatus discussed above are described.
(Low-Resolution Display)
For measurement of information on all the observation points at the highest precision, U×P×R directivity synthesis processes are required; however, a configuration with a reduced number of processes is also possible in some use situations.
Accordingly, consider a low-resolution display configuration that intentionally lowers the transmitter resolution or the receiver resolution from their respective limit performances determined by the apparatus aperture and the frequency or further forcefully lowers the distance resolution as well.
Here, as shown in
Further, when the resolutions in the θ-direction and ψ-direction are decreased by a factor of α, β, and γ, respectively, the openings of the transmitter and the receiver can be also reduced by a factor of α, β, and γ, respectively.
Hereinbelow, only the effect associated with decrease in the number of pieces of information for display is considered for the sake of simplicity.
Considering even only the effect associated with decrease in the number of pieces of information for display, the number of directivity synthesis processes for measuring information on the observation points is (U/α)×(P/β)×(R/γ); in low-resolution display, the processing burden can be reduced to as low as 1/(α×β×γ), and assuming that α=β=γ=3, the processing burden can be reduced to 1/27.
Here, when the resolution in θ-direction is reduced by a factor of α, the number of transmissions K will be Ka, where KUW>U>KaUW>U/α; the imaging limit time TFK required for K rounds of transmission and reception shown in
The method of display is not limited to the one described above, but partial data display 1: ψ-direction display is also possible, for example.
Specifically, considering a case of measuring only one fan cross section in θ-direction, i.e., the transmitter resolution direction, with the highest resolution as shown in
Further, partial data display 2: ultrafast display is also possible. Specifically, as for the fan cross section in θ-direction, if the number of cross sections to be measured is within the maximum number of radiation directions UW permitted for a single transmission (shown in
Partial data display 3: θ-direction display is also possible. Here, considering a case of measuring only one fan cross section in ψ-direction, i.e., the receiver resolution direction, with the highest resolution as shown in
When increasing the number of fan cross sections in ψ-direction to PP as with
Partial data display 4: cross display is also possible. Cross display refers to a display method that combines the θ-direction display and ψ-direction display described above, and such a combined use of θ-direction display and ψ-direction display provides the cross display shown in
Here, considering a case of measuring only one fan cross section in each of θ-direction and ψ-direction with the highest resolution as shown in
Here, rotation cross display, which is rotated about an axis OOXY at which the two fan cross sections in
Here, an operation of displaying only the cross section position and not displaying reflected signal information for each cross section in
Known input devices for selecting two variables in one pass include a joystick, a track ball, and the like.
By further arranging an input device for setting the position UR in the distance direction as a third variable, a certain position QXYR (QX, QY, QR) in the three-dimensional space can be selected.
Also, when focusing on the specific distance UR and selecting a certain position QXYR (QX, QY, QR) in the three-dimensional space with a cursor operation and displaying one cross section ZR intersecting the axis OOXY as depth gate display as shown in
Rotation depth gate display is also possible by setting the angles ΩU and ΩV in
It is also possible to create multiple depth gate display for arranging multiple cross sections ZR (NZR) in the depth gate display shown in
As the display method, partial data display 8: region-of-interest display and region volume may also be employed. Here, when setting the region of interest as shown in
Here, if “a” in the region of interest is within the maximum number of radiation directions UW, the imaging limit time in sound wave propagation remains the time for single transmission and reception TF1(=TFK/K), enabling ultrafast imaging.
Since the low-resolution display and various kinds of partial data display described above are of low processing burden, combined display of the various display methods can be configured as desired without significant increase in the processing ability: such as double superposed display combining low-resolution display and cross display shown in
Also, in the depth gate display in which the specific distance UR is focused and a certain position QXYR (QX, QY, QR) in the three-dimensional space is selected as shown in
This automatic depth gate display involves an imaging limit time and an imaging limit rate comparable with those of the regular depth gate display.
The low-resolution display and various kinds of partial data display described above are not limited to coordinates locked to an apparatus but can be converted to global coordinate display by utilizing data on a navigation apparatus and displayed.
The various kinds of partial data display described above are effectively utilized particularly in combination of low-resolution display, which enables continuous observation of a wide region.
In the low-resolution display and various kinds of partial data display described above, there can be a case where some signals are identical in either type of display, in which case those signals may be shared to improve the imaging rate.
For combined use of the various kinds of high-resolution partial data display and low-resolution display described above, it is essential to have a transmitter with high resolution ability.
It is uneconomical to add a transmitter with low resolution ability in a configuration including a transmitter with high resolution ability.
Although transmission of low resolution can be easily produced by reducing the aperture of a transmitter with high resolution ability, this method leads to wasting of part of the transmitter aperture.
Thus, the method shown in
The method shown in
It is uneconomical to add a receiver with low resolution ability in a configuration including a receiver with high resolution ability.
Although transmission of low resolution can be easily produced by reducing the aperture of a receiver with high resolution ability, this method leads to wasting of part of the receiver aperture.
Thus, the method shown in
The method shown in
As will be apparent, it is also possible to show the limit resolution display and limit resolution display with a limited target space region in a juxtaposed manner (precision juxtaposed display).
In the case of such a precision juxtaposed display, complete diversion of measurement results is possible by setting the limit resolution display with a limited target space region such that the space region in the transmitter resolution direction is limited.
In this case, resistance to mobility is also significantly improved because a measurement result with a single transmission and reception can be also observed.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITYThe present invention achieves ultrasonic three-dimensional imaging with high precision by means of a simple apparatus.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
- 8 . . . transmitter
- 9 . . . propagation medium
- 10 . . . target region
- 11 . . . two-dimensional converging acoustic lens
- 12 . . . received wave detection surface of one-dimensional arrangement
- 13 . . . fan ultrasound beam
- 14 . . . reflected sound wave
- 15 . . . target object
- 16 . . . segmented element
- 17 . . . object image
- 18 . . . element output signal
- 19 . . . signal frequency component strength
- 20 . . . piezoelectric element
- 21 . . . polarization axis direction
- 22 . . . ground electrode
- 23 . . . signal electrode
- 24 . . . ultrasonic wave front radiation direction
- 25 . . . driving signal
- 26 . . . ultrasonic wave front
- 27 . . . high-frequency outgoing wave front
- 28 . . . low-frequency outgoing wave front
- 37 . . . reception directivity synthesis unit
- 42 . . . signal electrode
- 43 . . . ground electrode
- 44 . . . signal terminal
- 46 . . . emitted wave front
- 47 . . . upper-received wave front
- 48 . . . front-direction received wave front
- 49 . . . delay circuit
- 50 . . . delay time terminal
- 51 . . . received signal
- 52 . . . upper-received output
- 53 . . . front-received output
- 108 . . . transmitter
- 109 . . . filter set
- 138 . . . receiver
- 156 . . . receiving element
- 201 . . . filter
- 202 . . . upper-received filtered output
- 203 . . . front-received filtered output
Claims
1. An ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus comprising a transmitter arranged in a one-dimensional direction and a receiver one-dimensionally arranged in a direction orthogonal to an arrangement direction of the transmitter, the transmitter transmitting a plurality of outgoing wave fronts during a single transmission and reception period, wherein a transmitted sound wave has a different frequency depending on an azimuth relative to the transmitter arrangement direction,
- wherein the ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus is adapted so that outgoing wave fronts in vicinity of a front direction orthogonal to the arrangement direction of the transmitter have a high frequency and outgoing wave fronts in marginal directions have a low frequency.
2. An ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus comprising a transmitter arranged in a one-dimensional direction and a receiver one-dimensionally arranged in a direction orthogonal to an arrangement direction of the transmitter, the transmitter transmitting a plurality of outgoing wave fronts during a single transmission and reception period, wherein a transmitted sound wave has a different frequency depending on an azimuth relative to the transmitter arrangement direction,
- wherein transmission is performed in an order that makes the azimuth of the outgoing wave fronts monotonically change.
3. An ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus comprising a transmitter arranged in a one-dimensional direction and a receiver one-dimensionally arranged in a direction orthogonal to an arrangement direction of the transmitter, the transmitter transmitting a plurality of outgoing wave fronts during a single transmission and reception period, wherein a transmitted sound wave has a different frequency depending on an azimuth relative to the transmitter arrangement direction,
- wherein a total number of outgoing wave fronts that are transmitted in a single transmission and reception period is varied in accordance with a frequency band of the transmitter and a frequency spectrum of a transmitted signal.
4. An ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus comprising a transmitter arranged in a one-dimensional direction and a receiver one-dimensionally arranged in a direction orthogonal to an arrangement direction of the transmitter, the transmitter transmitting a plurality of outgoing wave fronts during a single transmission and reception period, wherein a transmitted sound wave has a different frequency depending on an azimuth relative to the transmitter arrangement direction,
- wherein frequency component separation is performed after performing a reception directivity synthesis process on a received wave signal.
5. An ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus comprising a transmitter arranged in a one-dimensional direction and a receiver one-dimensionally arranged in a direction orthogonal to an arrangement direction of the transmitter, the transmitter transmitting a plurality of outgoing wave fronts during a single transmission and reception period, wherein a transmitted sound wave has a different frequency depending on an azimuth relative to the transmitter arrangement direction,
- wherein frequency component separation on a received wave signal is performed first and then reception directivity synthesis is performed.
6. An ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus comprising a transmitter arranged in a one-dimensional direction and a receiver one-dimensionally arranged in a direction orthogonal to an arrangement direction of the transmitter, the transmitter transmitting a plurality of outgoing wave fronts during a single transmission and reception period, wherein a transmitted sound wave has a different frequency depending on an azimuth relative to the transmitter arrangement direction,
- wherein low-resolution display is performed.
7. An ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus comprising a transmitter arranged in a one-dimensional direction and a receiver one-dimensionally arranged in a direction orthogonal to an arrangement direction of the transmitter, the transmitter transmitting a plurality of outgoing wave fronts during a single transmission and reception period, wherein a transmitted sound wave has a different frequency depending on an azimuth relative to the transmitter arrangement direction,
- wherein limit resolution display with a limited target space region is performed.
8. The ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the limit resolution display with a limited target space region limits a space region in a transmitter resolution direction.
9. The ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the limit resolution display with a limited target space region limits a space region in a receiver resolution direction.
10. The ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the limit resolution display with a limited target space region limits space regions in a transmitter resolution direction and in a receiver resolution direction simultaneously.
11. The ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a limited region for display is rotated about an axis defined by a region of intersection between the limited space regions in the transmitter resolution direction and in the receiver resolution direction.
12. The ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the limit resolution display with a limited target space region displays only a cross section position and comprises a device for selecting a specific distance.
13. The ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the limit resolution display with a limited target space region focuses on a specific distance and comprises a device for limiting the space region in a distance direction.
14. The ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the limit resolution display with a limited target space region limits regions in all of a transmitter resolution direction, a receiver resolution direction, and a distance direction.
15. The ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus according to claim 6, wherein limit resolution display with a limited target space region is displayed in a juxtaposed manner.
16. The ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the device for limiting the space region in the distance direction is determined by measurement signal conditions for each direction of low-resolution display.
17. The ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the limit resolution display with a limited target space region limits the space region in the transmitter resolution direction to only a single outgoing wave front direction.
18. The ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus is adapted to achieve low-resolution display without narrowing apertures of the transmitter and the receiver.
19. An ultrasonic apparatus comprising a transmitter arranged in a one-dimensional direction, the transmitter transmitting a plurality of outgoing wave fronts during a single transmission and reception period and being adapted so that a transmitted sound wave has a different frequency depending on an azimuth relative to a transmitter arrangement direction, wherein frequencies of the outgoing wave fronts are adapted so that high frequency components are radiated in a near-front direction and low frequency components are radiated in marginal directions.
20. The ultrasonic apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the ultrasonic apparatus is adapted so that azimuths of wave fronts that are transmitted in a single transmission period are limited to a single azimuth direction among all azimuth directions on a front side of the transmitter with respect to a specific driving signal frequency.
21. The ultrasonic apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the transmitter transmits the wave fronts in an order that makes the wave fronts change monotonically.
22. The ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus is adapted so that limit resolution display with a limited target space region is displayed as being expanded relatively to low-resolution display.
23. The ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein limit resolution display with a limited target space region is displayed in a juxtaposed manner.
24. The ultrasonic three-dimensional measurement apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the limit resolution display with a limited target space region limits a space region in a transmitter resolution direction.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 15, 2016
Publication Date: Aug 22, 2019
Applicants: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MARITIME, PORT AND AVIATION TECHNOLOGY (Tokyo), Kageyoshi KATAKURA (Tokyo)
Inventors: Kageyoshi KATAKURA (Tokyo), Sayuri MATSUMOTO (Yokosuka-shi), Tomoo SATO (Yokosuka-shi), Kazuki ABUKAWA (Yokosuka-shi)
Application Number: 16/333,467